What learning resources do business management students say they need most?
Published Jun 16, 2024 · Updated Feb 23, 2026
learning resourcesbusiness and managementBusiness and management students do not just want more resources. They want the right mix, accessible when it matters.
That means reliable digital platforms, core texts, and case-led materials, backed by assessment guidance that is easy to follow. In the National Student Survey (NSS), Learning resources captures how students experience libraries, platforms, and equipment across UK providers. Overall tone is 67.7% positive, based on our NSS open-text analysis methodology, but an accessibility gap of −7.4 index points persists. Within business and management (non-specific), which groups generalist management degrees across the sector, students discuss learning resources more often than the sector average (6.0% vs 3.8%) and report a moderate tone score of +13.1. Together, these signals point to inclusive access, up-to-date materials, and assessment clarity as the elements that make resources usable in practice.
How does the business and management curriculum shape resource needs? Business and management programmes span finance, marketing, leadership, and strategy, so resource choices shape course design (for a closely related discipline, see accounting students’ views on learning resources). Core texts and reputable journals provide the theory. Digital platforms add currency through market data, simulations, and contemporary case material. The takeaway for course teams is to curate a blended set that supports deep reading and fast application, and to make it clear to students what each resource is for.
What is the right balance between digital and traditional learning resources? Digital materials deliver immediacy, interactivity, and real-time data. Textbooks and monographs support depth and reflective analysis. Use student comments and usage data to calibrate the mix by module, and offer alternative formats by default for accessibility. Small changes that help mature and part-time students, such as flexible access windows and concise quick-start guides, often improve the experience for the whole cohort.
Where do case studies add most value? Case studies translate theory into decision-making and strengthen students’ ability to interrogate assumptions. They work best when cases mirror current industry challenges and are mapped explicitly to the theories you teach. Balance cases with targeted theoretical study and analytical writing, so students build judgement without narrowing their perspective.
How should programmes integrate industry insights and expert lectures? Guest speakers, panels, and practitioner seminars help students test academic models against live market realities. Get the most value by scaffolding sessions with pre-session briefings, note-taking templates, and short reflective tasks that tie back to reading lists. This keeps the session connected to the curriculum, and helps students weigh new information critically rather than absorb it unexamined.
How do internships and projects support applied learning? Work placements, consultancy projects, and live briefs let students practise decision-making under constraints while building teamwork, communication, and adaptability. Where placements are limited, staff can simulate industry contexts through client-style assessment briefs, staged deliverables, and feedback checkpoints. Keep the learning focused by aligning project scope with module learning outcomes, and by making the link to core concepts explicit.
Which technology-enhanced learning tools make the biggest difference? Simulation software, analytics tools, and collaborative workspaces allow safe experimentation and data-driven decision-making (see simulation-based learning in higher education for implementation guidance). The biggest gains come from matching tools to learning outcomes, ensuring inclusive access, and embedding short how-to guides in the virtual learning environment. Run “resource readiness” checks before term starts to confirm access, compatibility, and capacity, and to avoid first-week friction.
Which assessment and feedback approaches reinforce effective resource use? Assessment shapes how students use resources, and what they prioritise. Publish calibrated rubrics, annotated exemplars, and concise improvement notes so students know what good looks like (see practical steps to improve feedback in business and management studies). Align marking criteria with assessment briefs, set predictable turnaround standards, and connect feedback back to the resources students should be using.
How Student Voice Analytics helps you Student Voice Analytics shows what drives student sentiment about learning resources in business and management, and where accessibility or availability issues most affect cohorts. Track topic volume and tone over time, benchmark against relevant peer groups, and drill from school to module level. Export concise summaries for action planning, then monitor whether targeted fixes shift NSS themes and discipline-level concerns in the right direction.
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